Alphabet Soup
by turbomagnus
Summary: The A to Z's of being a Power Ranger.
1. A is for Air : Literati

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'A is for Air'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

With the Spiritzord locked into the launch cradle, the Ranger within is able to feel it as the magnetic forces build up to accelerate them into the air. Far above, twenty feet of ground and growth lift into the air on a hydrolic platform as a metal ramp extends up out of the hole beneath it.

"Launch systems check, cradle loaded, magnetic accelerators charging... Spiritzord is... GO!"

Lights are passed at magnificent speed as science exerts its force upon the world, the launch cradle that the Spiritzord sits in flying down the tunnel towards the exit, gathering speed as postive and negative charges force it to travel faster and faster until it reaches the end of the launch ramp and slams to a halt, flinging its cargo through the forest canopy and into the night sky above. As the ground falls away and the Spiritzord spreads its wings, the pilot couldn't see but knew that behind them the launch cradle was returning to its starting position, the ramp retracting and platform lowering back down to hide one of the greatest secrets in existance.

Here, they were seperate from the world below, the trials and tribulations of life outside the uniform - a blessing when life started to feel a curse, a needed escape.

Sometimes, the pilot thinks of it as all that keeps them on the side of 'good'.

Sometimes, it even works.

With a sigh from the pilot, the Spiritzord is over the water of the Orenda River and banks toward the city under their protection. Despite the combination of advanced technology and arcane magic used in the creation of the Literati Powers and the Spiritzords, some natural laws can't be negated completely, held aloft by spells of flight and VTOL thrusters working in unison the Spiritzord is still subject to the gravity of the planet. It is a feeling that the pilot is all-too familiar with - seperate from the city, from humanity, but tied to it by origin and duty.

Alone, the pilot mused, they weren't sure they would be able to handle it, but there really was strength in numbers - together, they were more than human, even more than simply the latest to bear the name of Power Rangers...

They were a family, and the universe have mercy on anyone who would stand against them - in morph or out of it - because they would have none. They would fight their enemies one-on-one or one-on-one hundred and they would win if only because their family was counting on them.

'To hell with the rest of the world,' the pilot thought, pulling their Spiritzord into a climb, 'That's the important thing.'


	2. B is for Brothers : Wes

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'B is for Brothers'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

Someone once said 'to truely understand someone, you have to make them angry, fight them, that's when you see the real person.' Maybe that's why in this life, the greatest friendships... and the greatest relationships come when the ones involved started out by fighting against each other. I should know, I've both seen it and felt it, them...

I've seen Jason and Tommy together... I understand Tommy actually had a brother, but that David died shortly before Tommy and I met. Even without that, if you didn't know better, you'd swear Tommy and Jason were brothers. In fact, I met T.J. briefly at the same time, but that was enough for the Red Turbo Ranger to warn me and everyone else there while Jason and Tommy were giving each other a hard time that Jason could get away with mentioning things that would get the rest of us a Zeo Five Sabre held to our throats. _Her _for instance. I always liked Sherlock Holmes growing up, like Holmes and _The _Woman, there's only one Her when you're talking about Dr. Thomas Oliver. You might mention Tommy and... I think T.J. said her name was Kat... or ask about Hayley or that other woman, Elsa, but there's only one Her.

Kimberly Ann Hart.

I have an entire company's resources at my hands, communication channels to get information from Time Force in the future, had my best friend go from friend to rival to almost-enemy back to friend, oh, and I'm married to a woman from a thousand years in the future who is not only Jason's decendant but was once engaged to a man decended from me and the woman I would've married before the timeline was altered - appearantly the Chrono Morphers and some of the equipment at Time Force Headquarters protects the members of Time Force from changes in the timeline, which is why Alex knew what was happening with Frax and Dragontron and why his DNA didn't change when the timeline did... Which is probably a good thing, since that would've made his proposal to Jen a little too creepy for me...

And did I mention that Jen and I couldn't stand each other at first? The phrases 'Spoiled rich kid' and 'control freak' come to mind...

All of that and I still can't make any sense of Tommy and Kimberly. Ah, well, it'll probably take someone a lot smarter... or a lot crazier than me to do it.

Where was I?

Me and Eric, that's where. Funny how if someone with money helps a perfect stranger they're a philanthropist, but if they use it to help a friend then they're lording it over them... I never saw it that way, really. We had the money, the Myers didn't, Eric and I were friends, it made sense to me for us to pay for Eric and I to attend the same school since money was the problem. Money was the problem, all right, I just never saw it then. Even when he dropped out and stopped speaking to me I didn't see it. It wasn't until Dad started the Silver Guardians and we found ourselves on different sides - me as the Red Ranger and Eric with the Silver Guardians - that I finally saw it.

What I saw as friendship, he saw as pity and charity.

Ironic that my former-best friend was more like my father than I was at the time. Fortunately for all of us, Ransik changed things; I discovered what I was missing - something with meaning, Dad discovered that money could maybe buy the finer things but not the important things, and Eric discovered what it meant to help others simply for the sake of helping them. Facing certain death together probably helped, if Jen and the others hadn't come back...

Coming back from certain death, that seems to be a tradition for Rangers. After we got back from the moon, before he left to head back to Mirinoi, Leo told me about how his brother - biological brother, in fact - had spent months with his spirit absorbed by the original Magna Defender who used Mike's life force to stay alive. Not long after he was freed by Magna Defender's death, Mike learned that there was a side-effect to his imprisonment - with the Magna Blaster, Mike could morph into a new Magna Defender.

Then there's Zhane's coma... you've almost got to feel sorry for Andros - Zhane was his best friend, the closest thing he had to a brother... a year in a coma after the attack on KO-35 and after he woke up he ended up dating the Red Astro Ranger's sister. Don't know whether that should make me glad that I'm an only child or that Eric's dating Taylor...

Myself, Jason, Andros, Leo, one of the newer guys; Connor, we're bound together by more than a shared color. We're bound together by a shared sentiment...

Brothers are nothing but trouble...


	3. C is for College : Amanda

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'C is for College'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

It's the first day of classes and she's standing in the middle of the courtyard, sun on her shoulders, wind in her hair and trouble on her mind. She doesn't remember how she got herself into this. What she does remember is that she has a low opinion of psychologists and psychiatrists and can't stand them.

So why is she going to school to become one?

Because her fiance already attended the same school, even though he was taking different classes?

Because the Idiot's comments about her having a future as a sexual-dysfunctions therapist had finally gotten to her?

Because it would give her an excuse to work less during the boring day hours and avoid stupid customers?

Or maybe, she quietly admits to herself, it was because she wanted to make a difference herself - not as the Yellow Ranger, but as Amanda - and maybe keep someone from going through the same problems she'd been through. That and the fact that they had developed a saying over the years about getting psycho-analysed by a psycho. That covered the course load, anyway. Why she even was attending college still was up for grabs - she was the one who lived in the now. Yolanda wanted to settle down, Justin always thought about a career, Daniel dreamed of being a professional cartoonist...

J.T. was exactly where he wanted to be, damn him, right in the middle of a war with the odds against him. For all their difference, one thing the two cousins agreed on was a belief in reincarnation. Patton, Jackson, the Napoleonic Wars, ancient Rome, J.T. felt that he had always been a soldier, a warrior, and for years couldn't understand why he wasn't even made for it in this life... until they had discovered the Command Center and took on the Power, plunging them into the midst of an ongoing fight between good and evil with the fate of the universe hanging in the balance. Cliched as hell, but fulfillment of a dream in the case of the Black Ranger, and almost as bad was the fact that Jessica was happily right there beside him.

For years, her life had been about whatever her parents wanted, her wishes be damned, which was why she had spent as much time as possible at her Nana's or with her cousins. Speaking of cousins, she still wasn't sure who had been most surprised when J.T.'s research had turned up that they were related - him, her or her parents. Considering that they were certain he was going to kill them in their sleep, probably her parents. That helped, a little, to change things... but not enough. Daniel had helped more - he had given her back the self-respect and self-confidence that her parents had taken from her. Though sometimes, she thinks, she wishes he'd remember that helping her with her own confidence doesn't mean he has to be her own private doormat, just that he can listen sometimes, listen and not judge her or tell her she's a disappointment because she's Wiccan instead of Baptist, Democrat instead of Republican...

And Goddess-forbid say anything about the man she loves having a different skin color. For all the similarities J.T. has to her parents, that's probably one of the biggest differences - they consider it a shame and a personal insult that their daughter would date a black boy born in Chicago, where the Idiot just shrugs and comments that 'all blood is red'. She thanks him for that. Not out loud of course, J.T.'s a big enough pain without needing to know that. For a long time, she was happy just to be working and making money, even better that her closest friends and the one she loved were working at the same place. College had always been her parents' desire for her and her brother, a good college, a degree, lots of getting to say 'my daughter's a big name'. She had been happy just to be with Daniel and have a regular income, things had gotten even better when she moved out and she and Yolanda split an apartment so that she didn't have to deal with them outside of the occasional encounter at her aunt and uncle's or her grandmother's, when Daniel finally proposed that had made everything almost perfect - her life was finally her own, despite the fact that they ended up fighting monsters of various sizes on at best a weekly basis, despite the fact that the other side included her ex-barely-boyfriend and a guy who wanted her fiance dead, she didn't want to think about what might happen to ruin that, the future could take care of itself, couldn't it?

So why was she going to college?


	4. D is for Daydream : JT

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'D is for Daydream'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

Scenic City, 1937. New York was the East Coast's center of glamour and glitz, Hollywood ruled the West and Chicago and New Orleans divided what was left. Rumbles in Europe were largely ignored and the people of the United States continued their day-to-day lives. Or night-to-night, as the case may be, as two figures faced off in a dark alley behind an unmarked club whose existance was known only to members.

"What are you doing here, John? This is a club for cops."

"It's a damn hideout for crooks and we both know it, Jonathan. Club for cops? Easy to say when half the force is dirty!"

"What do you care? You're not even on the force anymore, John. Why don't you go back to your hole-in-the-wall office and leave the law to law enforcement."

The Private Investigator grabbed the uniformed officer by the throat and slammed him against the side of the building, hard, "Because unlike you, Old Partner, when I swore that oath I meant it. When the biggest crooks are the cops, being one of them doesn't do much good, now, does it? Noooo..."

"Assaulting... officer..." The cop forced out.

The P.I. knew what he was saying and tightened his grip a fraction, "And have everyone on the force know that you'd turn against your own partner? That'd be your death warrant because you couldn't be trusted."

"Ex... partner."

"Yeah," The P.I. said, letting the other man drop to the ground, "Ex-Partner... I called you 'friend', I called you 'brother' - Hell, I trusted you with my back... Do you know how many people I trust enough to be behind me?"

With a cough, the other man countered, "This city's a lost cause anyway, why shouldn't I make things better for myself before it falls? That's just common sense."

"I came down here to give you a warning - for old time's sake - but it looks like you're not going to listen," Magnus shrugged as he turned and started down the alley.

Halfway down the alley, he heard a click from behind him and spun around, drawing an heirloom Colt as he did to match Maxwell's .38 Police Special. Simultanously, the two former friends fired...

* * *

"Wake up!"

Scenic City, Present Day, and J.T. Magnus woke up with a start, arms and legs pinwheeling as he fell off the counter he was laying on and landed hard on the floor of Highway 2. Climbing to his feet, he winced, in morph he wouldn't have even felt that short a fall, but unfortunately he wasn't morphed and it hurt like hell.

Narrowing his eyes to unleash a full-force Type-Three 'If You Value Your Life...' Glare at the customer in front of him, J.T. growled out, "Can I help you?"


	5. E is for Engaged : Daniel

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'E is for Engaged'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

For all his comments about finding new friends and not knowing why he was friends with the rest of the Literati, Justin could be as bad as the rest of them - especially when it came to his science-fiction - and it only got worse when he and J.T. got into debates over shows and movies that they watched. Occasionally, though, it had its good points. Thanks to one of their debates he had found the best description for that moment in the burned-out store that he could think of;

"'There are moments in your life when everything crystalizes... and the whole world reshapes itself, right down to its component molecules'," Daniel recited, sitting on the edge of his bed, then smiled, "Everything changes."

Next to him, a figure shifted and mumbled in her sleep, drawing a smile from the dreadlocked Blue Ranger. Sometimes, he knew, she thought he was too submissive towards her and maybe so, but with Magnus challenging her and him supporting her, more progress was being made in helping her recover from her parents' attitudes than otherwise... even if just by making her come out of her shell in frustration when he calmly responded 'Yes, Mandi-chan.' It was slow, but he was patient - unlike certain hyperactive nutcases of his acquaintance. Okay, maybe that was a little much. The others could be patient when they needed to, they just sometimes forgot that not all of their little band had the same interests and didn't need to hear chapter and company of Warhammer, who won what when in gymnastics or the complete Elven geneology.

He could wait, would wait, she was more important to him than anything else, everything else. Like all of them, he had seen a lot in a little amount of time, even before becoming a Power Ranger, maybe too much. Maybe they had all seen too much for their years... Each of them had been hurt in a way and had reacted by drawing into themselves and putting on masks for the public, masks that only the others knew what they hid. That was part of the reason he sometimes got so frustrated with his fiancee's constantly putting herself down and asking why he was interested in someone like her - he was no better, really, he sometimes wondered what she saw in him...

And as for what her parents had done to her self-esteem, that was part of the reason that J.T. was going to be Best Man at the wedding in the traditional 'bodyguard' role - in case they tried to ruin the wedding, something that neither Daniel or Amanda would put past them, they would have to get through the Black Ranger first, something Daniel seriously doubted was possible, Magnus was like a human pit bull.

A part of him, a very large part that usually only surfaced when dealing with Marius, a part of him wanted to see them try, it could even be Magnus' wedding present to them. Truth was, of all the Literati, Daniel was the most easy-going and forgiving, It took a great deal to push him over the limit to the point where that stopped, the fact that Mars wouldn't stop until he or Daniel were dead and was willing to harm anyone to acheive it was one example. It took a lot to make him angry, more than any of the others except maybe Justin. But when it came to Amanda's parents, he was angry with them long before he ever met them.

That was why he was dangerous - he was patient, and he would do anything to keep the woman he loved safe.

Anything.


	6. F is for Feminine : Kelsey

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'F is for Feminine'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

Kelsey Winslow shook her hair out before threading it through one of her scrunchies, the sudden ponytail an incongruous difference to the remainder of her appearance, casual in comparison to the citrine jewelery and black sheath dress and pumps she wore. With Bansheera and her minions long defeated, Lightspeed Rescue had shifted from anti-demon operations to more conventional, if highly dangerous rescues - kind of like that old TV show, she thought - and that meant that the Rangers weren't on constant stand-by anymore.

Which meant they could try for lives again. She had never really cared about dating before becoming a Ranger, but now, after seeing Carter and Dana and Joel and Angela, and having that constant feeling of something being missing that sports just wasn't filling anymore, she was willing to try.

Sometimes, she missed the demons. They just wanted to kill her, not take her out to dinner at a five-star restaurant just so they could dump her.

"Ten months," Kelsey muttered as she slid her Little Black Dress over her head, balled it up and tossed it into a corner uncaringly, "A new record."

As she sat down on the edge of her bed and began removing her shoes and stockings, the Yellow Ranger thought about the fact that she was actually keeping track of how long it took before she got dumped when her dates realized that she didn't care for media attention or making a big splash everywhere she went with everyone looking at the Power Ranger, she just wanted to be a normal woman, an athlete who happened to be trained in Haz-Mat rescue situations. A searching hand found a pair of sweatpants and a crop top laying on the bed that she pulled over to her and put on with a sigh.

Pulling her necklace out from under her shirt and unfastening it, then reaching up to do the same to her earrings, Kelsey muttered, "This is Mariner Bay, not Hollywood, dammit..."

'First things first', she thought, 'I'm going to drag out my punching bag and work up a sweat, then I'm going to curl up with the two guys I always know I can count on and watch some Vin Diesel.'

* * *

On the other side of the country, a redhead finished dressing in the Madarin-style shirt and denim jeans she was going to wear, then added a pair of fire opal earrings and a heart-shaped necklace with a citrine stone in the middle to offset them. She might enjoy being a tomboy, but tonight she planned to blow what little mind that jackass had...


	7. G is for Games : Literati

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'G is for Games'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

'Death comes for everyone. Whether it strikes fast like a storm or waits silently for its prey to come to it, death will take everyone. Except me, for I am death. I am the end. I am...'

J.T. Magnus gasped as he was shot from behind, falling forward to land hard against the forest floor. With one hand he reached behind him and brought the wet substance he felt around so that he could see it. Red. Red and sticky. So this was how he went...

"Out," Justin Gibb informed him, shouldering his own paintball gun, "Sorry, J.T., but you know how it goes."

"Couldn't you at least be rude and mocking, Gibb?" J.T. asked, rolling over and sitting up, "You know I hate it when people are sympathic and understanding when I get my arse kicked, annoys the hell out of me."

"In that case," Gibb shrugged, "Bow before me, pitiful mortal."

J.T. groaned as he stood up to make his way to the chosen starting area - the part of the forest above the Command Center, "Forget it, that doesn't sound right coming from you. It's like the time Yolanda said 'bet your ass'."

* * *

Despite their bonds and numerous shared interests, each of the Literati had hobbies the others didn't share - Jessica's gymnastics, J.T.'s Warhammer, Amanda and Daniel's D&D gaming and others. Sometimes those hobbies crossed over, such as the occasional Inquisitor campaign; other times, they got together to take part in a shared hobby - MST Nights at the store were common, less common but still occuring was when the urge to hurt each other reached its limit and they made their way into the forest where the Command Center lurked to settle their differences.

"A pump," Amanda groaned, "Magnus, only an idiot like you would think you could win using a pump."

"If my ancestors could fight a war with single-shot weapons, so can I," the Black Ranger countered.

"Someone would think you're Shinto the way you go on about your ancestors, Magnus," Daniel supported his other half.

"Yeah, well, most of them would probably break my jaw, then turn around and break your necks, so don't get..." J.T. pumped his gun to load a round, "Cocky."

"That," Jessica informed him with a glare, "was bad, Johnnie."

Grey eyes narrowed, "On the field, Love, you're just another target - remember?"

"The feeling's mutual," Jessica retorted.

Gibb shook his head, "Could we finish up the trash talk and get to the trashing?"

"Yeah, yeah, we know - you want a good clean fight, no morphing, powers or teleporting, now let's get it on!"

"Who let Magnus watch Celebrity Deathmatch?"

* * *

'To win the battle,' J.T. recalled, 'one must first win the battlefield. The high ground is a combat multiplier - the defender's range of fire is increased while the attacker's is decreased, forcing them to advance under fire.'

Perched in a tree, the Black Ranger had chosen what he felt was an excellent sniper's nest; prime location, hard to spot and most importantly, easy to escape if compromised. Yolanda had been a surprisingly easy elimination, falling for the old noise-in-the-bushes trick, but he knew the most dangerous threats were still free; Jessica knew him better than anyone and Amanda dared to anticipate in a fight. With a muffled sigh, J.T. shifted his weight and began moving down the tree, intent on finding a new position from which to eliminate his greatest rival and the woman he loved.

'Death comes for everyone. Whether it strikes fast like a storm or waits silently for its prey to come to it, death will take everyone. Except me, for I am death. I am the end. I am...'

* * *

"So who got Gibb?"

"It wasn't J.T." Gibb defended the other Ranger, "I know since I eliminated him and he may be a bastard, but his honor wouldn't let him cheat in a match."

Amanda glared at her fiancee, "Daniel took me out... and he's going to again tonight unless he wants to sleep on the couch."

"Someone got me from behind," Yolanda sighed.

"Yeah," J.T. shrugged, "That was me."

"So if J.T. got Yo, Daniel got Amanda, I got Daniel and Gibb got me," Jessica listed off before repeating, "Who got Gibb?"

"Wait a second," J.T. said, "Gibb... Turn around."

Gibb did as requested and after a moment asked, "What is it?"

"It's purple."


	8. H is for Hope : JT

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'H is for Hope'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

J.T. sighed as he laid the newspaper down, then closed his eyes and shook his head before standing up, "If anyone needs me... I'll be on the roof."

"Why, pray tell, are you going to be on the roof?" Amanda asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm either going to jump off or curse God, either way," J.T. started towards the back of the store, "Seems like the place to do it."

"What's his problem today?" Justin asked as J.T. disappeared through the door into the back.

Amanda's eyes drifted over to the paper lying on J.T.'s counter, "Something he read, I guess."

With a nod, Justin reached over to pick up the abandoned periodical.

* * *

"_Quid laedo tibi de me_," J.T. asked in Latin, "What? My language, my attitude? That I live a life of secrecy and lies? That I deny organized religion?"

"What," He repeated in English, "Have I done to offend you? Isn't it enough that I fight the good fight? That I stand up on a regular basis to those who seek to destroy this world? That I stand by friends, family and loved ones despite the cost?"

"What more do you want from me?" He shouted, "I've sacrificed dreams, family, there are days I don't even know who I am anymore...

"So why..." His voice cracked from emotion, making him pause.

J.T. sat down hard on the ledge of the roof and began again, "Why every time I begin to feel like my life is right, do you basically smack me across the face with a wet trout?"

A sigh and his face dropped into his hands as he closed his eyes again, "'The past taunts us, the future beckons us...' There was a time when I would have done almost anything for a kind word from her. When my dreams involved her by my side... And now here I am - stuck dealing DVDs to ungrateful creatures and having my sleep interrupted constantly by the catch of the day... and money and fame are her's..."

"_Vita combibo_," He finished.

"Are you done?" Jessica asked, sitting on one of the rooftop AC units as he looked up, "Because if you'd rather keep on feeling sorry for yourself, I can come back later."

"I just found out that a girl I had a crush on and flirted with back in school - before us, even before Starr - just made it big with a record deal and all," J.T. tried to explain before the redhead cut in.

"So you're having a bit of a day."

"Are you going to make jokes?"

"Well you're not and one of us has to," Jessica answered, sliding off the AC and walking over to sit down beside him, "If you wanted to blame everyone that could be blamed for us being where we are, we'd both be here for a long time - parents, grandparents, teachers, friends, girl- and boyfriends, even schoolboy crushes. But the truth of the matter is that none of them can be blamed, not even God, because they did what they did and we made our choices after."

Jessica put her hand on his shoulder and turned him to face her while she shifted to meet his eyes, "Say you were off doing something that would bring you money and power - Yolanda and Amanda would have still found the Command Center, but you wouldn't have been here to charge headlong into the fight and trust the rest of us to follow, so the city would have been destroyed in the very beginning. Or if you hadn't been here to fight Dreamweaver that first time, or Car Org, or Cueball. Or just been here to support Amanda and Daniel when they needed it. And that's just us. That's not anyone beyond the six of us."

She reached out and took his hands in her own, "This isn't like you. This isn't you."

Jessica bowed her head for a moment and rubbed the back of his hands with her thumbs, "When I look at you, I still see the person who spent thirty minutes arguing with me about the way things were done in 'his' library, then turned right around and threatened to hurt someone who said one bad thing about me at lunch minutes later. What happened to him?"

"I don't know," J.T. whispered, holding back tears, "But I intend to find out..."

"You've got that look on your face again," Jessica said as a smile started to spread across J.T.'s face.

"What look?"

"The one where you've just had a 'scathingly brilliant idea' that's going to get us all in trouble."

"Hey!"

"Don't try to deny it, Johnnie."

"I don't deny the fact, I'm just hurt that you said that. I thought you liked going along with my 'scathingly brilliant' ideas."

"Johnnie," she paused, "Just because I enjoy going along with you on them doesn't mean we don't end up in trouble."

"We always end up in trouble, Love," J.T. smirked, "It's just the amount of fun we've had on the way that changes."


	9. I is for Intelligence : Yolanda

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'I is for Intelligence'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

J.T. has a formula; Intelligence plus Experience equals Wisdom. Mine was always Elvish Twins plus Bed equals Good, really. El'dan and El'hir slash... mmm...

What? Just because I don't have a hero complex... Justin.

Aren't easily distracted... Daniel.

Borderline Bipolar... Jessica.

Or cheerfully sociopathic... Amanda.

And I'm not completely insane... J.T.

Just because I'm not any of those doesn't mean I'm an idiot. I just prefer to enjoy my life. If I didn't, I'd probably end up as cynical and sarcastic as J.T. or as paranoid and ready to expect the worst as Amanda. Maybe that's a little harsh, they're my best friends and I love them for it, but without Jessica and Daniel they don't seem to find much enjoyment in life.

Emotional intelligence is still intelligence, isn't it, knowing yourself and what makes you sad or keeps you happy?

Really, for claiming to be smarter than me, the others miss things that they really shouldn't. Things like the mix of wistful and frustrated that Zack gets whenever the monster alarm goes off like he should be answering it himself, or the curious look J.T.'s friend in the police department gives us from time to time. Or things about themselves, like how J.T. and Jessica will sit back to back on the counters or that Amanda knits more when she's worried; that despite his talking about wanting a normal life, Justin is usually the first one to get involved when something happens; or even that Daniel bends our agreement about not using our Blade Blasters in gun mode by using his Demon Blaster.

I guess the saying's true about smart people being very, very dumb indeed. No one ever pays any attention to the 'bubbly one'... No one pays me any attention... Not even in my own apartment. I can't tell you the number of times I've walked in to find Amanda and Daniel on the couch instead of in her room. Oh, it's not that they're doing anything, it's just another one of those things that they do without realising, throwing their relationship in my face even though Amanda knows that I don't have any luck with them myself... I don't know why that bothers me more from them than from the 'J's'. Maybe because Amanda's my best girl friend, or because I have more in common with her than with Jessica?

Sometimes, I feel like I'm the outsider looking in, worse than Justin because he actually likes it that way, staying on the outside until he feels like jumping in... That's not the way I'm meant to live, I like being part of the group, I like being in the middle of things... I remember when it was just the four of us; J.T., his best friend Jon, Amanda and me, her best friend, two and two. Jon and I could watch while J.T. and Amanda argued, the boys could kick a soccer ball back and forth when Amanda and I were working on Hiei/Kurama slash, or me and J.T. could laugh while the two blondes traded innuendo. Then Jon started becoming popular, we met Daniel and Justin in anime club, J.T. started dating Starr, David tricked Jon and Amanda into dumping each other, Amanda started seeing Daniel, Starr broke up with J.T., Jessica moved here... Jon drifted in and out of the group since he didn't belong anywhere anymore... And now? It doesn't seem like anyone has any time for me.

I'm the one who needed new herbs, I'm the one that found the entrance to the Command Center... I'm the one who ended up unconscious for a week... I'm the one that only seems to be needed when it's time to form the Megazord... I'm not an idiot, I just want somebody to love me, to make me feel wanted, part of something...

Why can't the people who are supposed to be the 'smart ones' figure it out?


	10. J is for Justification : Clerkin'

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'J is for Justification'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

"I'm having a hard time deciding if this is good things coming to those who wait or the mills of the gods grinding exceedingly small," J.T. observed, flipping through his paper.

Amanda glanced up from her manga, "Anyone I know?"

"Oh, yesss," J.T. hissed out in a reptilian drawl, "Remind me to send our neighborhood menaces a nice fruit basket."

"And why would I want to do that?"

"Because," he said, folding the paper closed, "What was it Stalin said? 'A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths are statistics'? When someone dies because of a monster attack, it's a tragedy... except is it...?"

"You know, J.T... I really hate it when you do this."

"Sorry. Is it a tragedy when someone dies as a result, albeit indirectly, of their actions? Or is it justice? Irony?"

"Dammit, J.T., if you don't get to the point I'm going to hurt you."

"If David hadn't tried to come between you and Jonathan, if he hadn't caused you to turn to Daniel and Jonathan to turn outlaw, would we be where we are, who we are?"

"This is the last time I'm going to tell you, J.T., 'Get on with it!'"

"You know the casualty lists of people who die in the monster attacks? He's listed."

Amanda started to say something, stopped, frowned and then tried again, "Let me see if I've actually managed to get something useful out of your inane ramblings... You're reading the obituaries of the people that have died while we were fighting the Bitch, Jon and Mars. That's... morbid... and you're saying things that make less sense then usual because David's name is listed."

"Mm... Yes," J.T. shrugged, "Funny that, innit?"

"Sure it's him?"

"Only one way to find out..."

"You going to the funeral?"

"Maybe... You?"

"Hell no. Have a good time. Knock over the casket for me."

"Is it wrong that I don't feel bad about this?"

"You're the one who always talks about death being a natural part of life, you tell me."

"He died as collateral damage during one of our fights, essentially because of us... I should feel bad for having that part in his death... But I don't. Instead, the poet in me enjoys the ironic justice. He died when the building he was in was damaged when we were fighting Car Org with the Megazord... Would he have even been there if not for his past actions?"

"J.T.? If you don't stop acting like this I'm going to stab you with a knitting needle."

"Hey, he took advantage of me having troubles to make trouble for you two. Saves me the trouble of having to eventually kill him myself. Territoriality and all, you and Jonathan were mine first. But part of me is screaming that as a Ranger I should be feeling regret that we failed to protect someone."

"And you're listening to it?"

"Mm. No. Which is the crux of it, I suppose... Is what he did, tried to do, whatever... good enough a reason to not feel the least bit sorry he's dead?"

"Is to me," Amanda laid her book down and crossed her arms, "You worry too damn much."

"It's just what I do," J.T. shrugged.

"You open?" A voice interrupted from the front door of the store.

"Yes," Yellow and Black Rangers chorused.


	11. K is for Kodak : Jon

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'K is for Kodak'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

John's a packrat for a reason. He admits he's forgetful, so he keeps things to help him trigger his memory. I'm not, I keep it to remind me that I was seven kinds of a damned fool. It's not a big thing, just a three-by-two Polaroid...

But it ruined my life.

With a lot of help from me, anyway. All I had to do was stay calm, but she started yelling and I got defensive, started yelling back, and tore down everything we had started to build. Now look at me, I'm fighting her, them, because it's the only thing I can do.

All because of a damn picture.

She thought she'd be better for me than a 'small-breasted blonde', he wanted her for himself and together they destroyed us and we helped them. It's a simple picture, one of a... well-endowed brunette in what looks like a passionate kiss with me, taken in Green Park. What it doesn't show is that she had come out of nowhere and jumped me, I was holding on just to keep from falling on my ass, and she shoved her tongue down my throat. It doesn't show that the guy who took it gave it to Amanda as 'proof' that I was cheating on her. It doesn't show how sad and angry, how betrayed she was that one of the few people she thought she could trust could hurt her like that. It doesn't show how we argued, how we fought because she couldn't believe I'd cheat on her and I couldn't believe she'd think I would. It didn't help that one of my football teammates told me that one of her fellow anime club members had asked her out, leaving out that she had turned him down. It turned out later that he also happened to be the photographer who took the picture.

Sometimes, I still think that if I hadn't listened to David, or if John had been there with his detachment and analysing of what was happening instead of dealing with the after-effects of the other Jessica breaking up with him... things would have turned out different. I might not have been so defensive, or John would have realised that the same person had told both of us the other was cheating, and maybe we'd still be together...

When I saw Daniel comforting her later, I was sure David had told me the truth. It was another week before John came back, and when he did it didn't take him long to find out what happened. As far as I know, one of the members of the cheer squad hadn't liked how he had been treated by their captain and let him know that the squad's co-captain had talked about getting rid of 'the freak' that was 'in her way' and that 'he was her's for the claiming'. It didn't take him long to figure out what had happened, but it was too late by then... We were too far apart. Both Jessica Starr and Tiffany were voted off the cheer squad since none of the cheerleaders were willing to trust them anymore, but the damage was done.

As for David? John... and Daniel... got to him before I did and made him pay, but I still ended up getting thrown off the football team because at the next practice I put him down hard and knocked his back out of alignment. I was off the team, but he wouldn't be playing anytime soon either.

I was off the sports teams, I wasn't part of my old group anymore, I didn't have anything... I just kinda drifted for the next few years. I went to work at the video store because I didn't know what else to do and left for the same reason... Then came that day in the woods... Ever since, I've just been so angry and confused... I don't even know why I'm fighting the way I am. Every time I morph, I just get so mad, mad at Amanda for not trusting me, mad at Daniel for having her when I don't, mad at John for gaining everything when I lost it all... I just lose control and want to take it out on something... someone...

But every time I look at the picture, I remember what blind anger cost me and start asking myself if it's worth it...

* * *

Author's Note: I'd like to take a moment to give public acknowledgement to a regular reader, frequent reviewer and fellow PR author, so Ghostwriter, consider this chapter dedicated to you.


	12. L is for Lovers : Various

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'L is for Lovers'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

In Scenic City, a couple are curled up together on a front porch swing...

"Is something wrong?"

"No... I was just thinking," he waved his hand to take in the star-filled sky, "Care to make a wish?"

Jessica Parker looked up at the sky and closed her eyes for a moment...

"Did you wish for something?" She asked.

"Didn't need to. I've got all I can wish for in my arms right now..." J.T. Magnus gave a slight 'hm' of thought.

"What?"

"I was just thinking, what's gonna happen to us next?"

"Tomorrow... let it take care of itself. But for now you can grant my wish."

"And what's that?"

"Don't let go..."

"I won't... On my honor..."

The two of them remained out there looking at the stars until they fell asleep.

* * *

In Angel Grove, morning light shines through a window, waking a bed's occupents...

"Hey."

Jason Lee Scott smiled at his wife, "Hey yourself."

"Don't you have classes today?"

"Late classes," he replied, leaning in to place a gentle kiss on her lips, "Very late."

Trini Scott rolled her eyes, "And you think that just because you own the dojo and are teaching the late class today that we're just going to spend the day in bed?"

Jason blushed, "I was hoping..."

Trini laughed at the crimson flush on his face, "God, Jase, you're so easy."

"And you're beautiful," he replied, leaning in to kiss her again.

* * *

In Silver Hills, a man watches from the doorway as his wife rocks their infant son...

Wes Collins has a better understanding of time than most, he knows that it's both fixed and fluid, not either-or. It was fixed that he'd eventually marry and have children, but who he would marry wasn't. That was his choice, making his own destiny, and as Jen turns around and smiles at him it crosses his mind that Ranger, Silver Guardian, Parent and Husband, this is his best destiny.


	13. M is for Morning : Ethan

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'M is for Morning'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

Between Six and Seven A.M. Eastern Standard Time…

"You really should be in bed, you do have work today, remember?"

"But I wanted to wake you up," Cassidy Cornell countered.

Ethan James shook his head, glad that he had bought a video-phone and his girlfriend could actually see the action.

"Don't try the 'ditzy blonde' act with me, Cassidy, I know better."

The dirty blonde on the other end of the line shrugged, "Habit. If you're intelligent, they take you out from in front of the camera."

"Glory hound."

Cassidy raised an eyebrow, "Which of us has a fondness for blue spandex?"

"It's not spandex," Ethan said, then shook his head, "Where have I heard that before?"

"I don't know, Doctor Oliver?"

"Probably."

"I miss you," Cassidy told him.

"Me or my activities?" Ethan teased.

"You, silly," Cassidy sighed, "Why did you have to go to school on the other side of the country?"

"You know they have one of the best Computer Science departments in the country here."

"What about Cal-Tech?"

Ethan paused for a moment, "Would you believe that after losing my powers I wanted to get away from California and reminders of being a Power Ranger?"

Cassidy raised a hand to her mouth in a failed attempt to stifle the giggles that statement invoked, "Didn't work, did it?"

Ethan rolled his eyes, "It's three a.m. Go back to sleep, Cassidy."

* * *

Author's Note; This chapter was originally written a few years ago as part of an attempt at a 24-esqe story of a single day where each chapter was a different hour from a different Ranger's perspective. That story was never written in full, but the first chapter was and remained on my computer until the recent realization that it could be used as one of the chapters in 'Alphabet Soup'.


	14. N is for Nerdity : Ethan

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'N is for Nerdity'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

"Last session ended right before the fight, right? We already rolled initiative for it, so J.T., you go first..."

"I nod at my fellow Ranger and throw a Bag of Holding filled with vials of holy water towards the middle of the horde of undead - 17."

"The bag archs gracefully and lands dead center in the middle of the largest group, causing several to look at it in confusion... Jessica?"

"I use my 'Sureshot' feat and shoot the bag with an arrow... Natural Twenty with a plus-five modifier."

"You pierce the cloth skin, causing the bag to fail and vials to explode outward, smashing on the ground and the undead, burning them with the blessed liquid... You two planned this, didn't you?"

"Who?"

"Us?"

"Never."

"Why WOULD you think that, Ethan?"

"Because you always do this," he groaned, "I don't know why I don't know why I let you know what you'll be fighting the session before the actual battle, you always come up with some way to completely derail the battle."

"Ethan," Amanda shook her head, "We're players, that's what we do."

"Don't!" He complained, "I spend time coming up with interesting plots, challenging encounters and interactive worlds where your choices make a difference and every session we end up spending more time arguing over what to eat, who's buying and what NPCs are... have..."

"I believe the term you're looking for is 'are light in their loafers'," J.T. waved a hand as he took a drink of his Mountain Dew.

"That! Or showing off whatever dice you've bought recently," Ethan added.

The other non-employee member of the gaming group looked up from where he was sketching out a car design, "So you want someone else to gamesmaster the next session?"

"No," Ethan's eyes narrowed, "I want you all, rangers, rogues and sorceror all... I want you to suffer..."

Reaching down beside his chair, Ethan lifted a hardcover book up and let it drop on the table in front of his screen, shaking dice, miniatures and drinks.

"Draconomicon," Daniel read off the title, "You wouldn't."

"Roll for inititive!" Ethan announced.


	15. O is for Outback

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'O is for Outback'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

"Somebody hand me that blasted spanner, huh?"

"Sure thing, Mum."

"I'm not your mum," Carol Parker complained, "I've asked you not to call me that."

"Tell you what," J.T. smirked, handing her the wrench she'd asked for, "You stop buying the wedding cookies, I'll stop calling you Mum."

"They're not for the two of you anyway," the older redhead grumbled, tightening the triple-trees onto the frame, "Don't see why you keep eatin' 'em."

J.T. shrugged, passing her one of the forks, "They're food, aren't they?'

"Why are you here?" Carol rolled her eyes and used a rubber mallet to tap the fork up through the trees so she could screw it in place.

"Bit stressed and would've probably ended up killing someone if I'd gone into the store today... figured I'd come and see if you needed any help beating shite into shape," another fork was passed over and installed.

Giving the fork one last twist to make sure it was secure, Carol shook her head, "Sorry, all the fabrication's finished... got a bit you can help with the assembly."

"Where do you want me to start?"

"Hand me that front wheel."

J.T. gave low hum of appreciation as he picked up the part, "Spoked, don't see that much anymore... painted?"

"Powder-coated," Carol corrected, "Nah, you don't... most people take the easy way and use billet wheels now, claim that threading a spoked wheel takes too long with deadlines and all."

"Idiots."

"Yep."

"Billet wheels are fine for 'theme bikes', but spoked wheels are classic, they're part of what a motorcycle is," J.T. shook his head as he drew his hand across the spokes of the wheel he held.

Blaine looked up from the desk where he was double-checking customer and vendor orders and teased his wife and his daughter's boyfriend, "Are you two fine or would you and the bike like to be alone, just the three of you?"

"Aw, root you, Blaine," Carol retorted.

"Anytime, Zee," Blaine shot back, running a hand through dark hair, "Just let me lock up the shop first."

"Hey! Impressionable young ears, here!" J.T. chuckled at the 'are you kidding' looks he got from both Parkers, "Right then, where's the bloody axle?"

"How long did you live in Australia?" Blaine's comment as he turned back around went unanswered, it was a old joke among them anyway.

"'Ere you go," Carol said, passing it over along with the mallet, "Think you can handle the tins and such so I can get this bastard wired?"

"That or die trying."

"Try not to die, my daughter would kill me."

"Nah," J.T. countered, picking up the front fender and pausing as he looked at it before fitting it in place, black with gold leaf accents and silver pinstripes only helped the old-school look of the bike, "First she'd find some way to bring me back so she could kill me herself."

"That she would," Carol agreed as the two kept working.

* * *

"Springer front end, no stretch with short forks, rigid frame, duel exhaust, kick-start and a sissy bar... now that's a bike... Old-school..."

"Just don't drool on the leather seat."

"What about on the shop floor?"

Carol held up a key, "How about driving instead of drooling?"

"I don't have a motorcycle license."

"So what? Never stops you anyway."


	16. P is for Pizza : Turtles

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'P is for Pizza'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

In California, everyone knew that Power Rangers were real, but the idea of mutant animals just wanting to live in peace was ridiculous. Twelve years of Alienizer and monster attacks can cause that kind of mindset. In New York, walking, talking turtles were an urban legend commonly agreed to be unproven fact, Power Rangers were doubtable. Ironically enough, those same turtles knew that Power Rangers did exist, having met them before.

'The Way of Invisibility is the Way of Silence combined with the Way of Balance,' Michelangelo thought to himself as he shimmied along the pipe until he was over his target, waiting until the right moment before...

"BANZAI!"

"Get off me, you lunatic!" Raphael shouted, thrashing back and forth trying to shake his brother off.

"Not until you say it, bro!"

"Say what? That you've lost what little mind you had?"

"Say it! Say I'm the better ninja!"

"You're nuts is what you are!"

Casey Jones crunched a handful of potato chips, "Five bucks on Raph."

Venus looked up from her meditation, "I believe I will place the same amount on Michelangelo."

Donatello looked up from one of his myriad computer monitors, "I believe the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results. We all know that Master Splinter's going to make them do flips."

"Michelangelo!" As though summoned by his son's words, Splinter's voice cut sharply through the lair as he appeared, causing the two scuffling brothers to seperate.

"Yes, Master Splinter?" Mikey gave a quick bow.

Splinter frowned, "You shouted 'Banzai' as you attacked your brother. Why?"

"That's what they always shout in the old war movies," Mikey shrugged.

Splinter sighed, "_Banzai_... has meaning. It is more than simply a shout. My master, Yoshi, taught me that as he learned it... from his father. By using it without that knowledge, you disrespect it."

"I'm sorry, Master Splinter," Mikey kicked at the ground, "I just wanted to take Raph by surprise."

"Taking your opponent by surprise is good, Michelangelo," Splinter agreed, "It is part of the Way of the Ninja. But, never forget that all things have meaning and to disrespect one thing is to disrespect all things, my son."

"And I do believe that's ten for me," Donatello informed the other two gamblers.

"Not even," Casey shot back, "You called flips and all he got was a talking-to."

"He is right," Venus agreed.

"Did I miss something?" Leonardo asked, balancing a stack of pizza boxes as he entered the lair.

"The usual," Donatello shrugged.

Raphael interrupted their conversation at the sound of beeping coming from Donatello's computers, "Hey, uh, that supposed to be doing that or do we need to be looking for cover?"

"Oh, that's just letting me know that I've got a message," Donatello answered off-handedly as he turned his attention back to his computers and tried to ignore the sounds of his orange-wearing brother praising the pizza that Leonardo had brought in, "Great, Billy's coming back to Earth!"

Venus frowned, "Who is this 'Billy'?"

"Oh, that's right, you don't know him. Andros introduced us, he's a former Ranger and one of the leading experts on Eltarian technology after the planet was devastated during the Galactic War. He's been living on Aquitar for the last ten years or so."

"Aquitar?" Michelangelo commented through a mouthful of Hawai'ian style, "Sounds like a musical instrument."

"Well it's not," Donatello informed him, "Aquitar is a ninety-per cent water planet and home to a bipedal amphibious race that are actually more advanced than humans. Imagine it..."

"They look like you guys?" Casey asked, referring to the fact that they sometimes pretended to be alienizer so they could go out in public.

"Uh, no," Donatello answered, "Except for a sensory node on the forehead and upper face, they more or less resemble humans."

"And this 'Billy' is one of them?" Venus asked.

"Nah, he's human, he's just been living on their planet for a while," Donatello shrugged again.

"Wait," Leo interjected, "You said he's been living on Aquitar for ten years, but Earth didn't have open relations with the rest of the galaxy until eight years ago, a few months after we met Andros and the others."

"Hello, Leo," Raphael snapped, "He just said the guy's another Ranger, I think that'd probably have something to do with it."

"Well, Raph," Leo snapped back, "There's still going to have to be explanations for where he is to his family and friends."

"Just another day in Casa De La Turtle," Michelangelo chuckled to himself as yet another round of Leonardo versus Raphael began, "Hey, now I made the funny."

* * *

Author's Note: If anyone's wondering about the Ninja Turtles appearing in a Power Rangers fanfic, during 'Power Rangers In Space' there was a crossover episode with the live-action Turtles series on the air at the time 'The Next Mutation'. 'Next Mutation' caught a great deal of flak while it was on the air by not having any continuity with any other Turtles media and the first - and only - appearance of a female turtle in the form of Mei Pieh Chi or 'Venus' as the other Turtles dubbed her, as well as relying heavily on deus ex machina solutions to situations, usually in the form of 'shinobi magic' used by Venus.

The PRiS episode, "Save Our Ship" featured Astronema brainwashing the Turtles in a plan to sneak them onto the Megaship where they would destroy it. By the end of the episode, the Turtles were freed and on good terms with the Astro Rangers, even getting to ride the Galaxy Gliders to do some space surfing back to Earth. While there's no further mention of their existance in the Power Rangers universe after the episode, much less any further involvement with any of the Rangers, it's not hard to believe that some form of communication remained.

That and let's face it, when you think of pizza, thinking of the Turtles comes naturally.


	17. Q is for Qi : Jessica

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'Q is for Qi'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

Even before becoming the Green Ranger, I enjoyed archery; a recurve bow, some target point arrows and a nice dirt butt to aim at made a great combination to relieve stress. I think that's why a bow became my weapon, because it was already a part of me. Although it does take some getting used to, the 'string' and arrows of my Phoenix Bow being made out of energy instead of something physical, at least I never run out of arrows or snap a bowstring with it, and with the powersuit I don't need an armguard.

It's easy to think of things in terms of 'just'. 'Just' a weapon, 'just' a robot, 'just' a costume... But nothing is ever 'just' anything... something we've all learned the hard way from 'just' parents, 'just' boyfriends, 'just' girlfriends, 'just' friends...

Getting depressing again. This is usually where Johnnie would say or do something to distract me until I felt better. He thinks I don't see when he gets the thousand-yard-stare and that look on his face that means he's in the same mood. Maybe one of these days I'll actually manage to convince him to stop trying to keep everything inside. Probably not. The truth is, he's not subtle or even completely sane, he takes things too personally and tries to put everything into what he does. Not hard to see how he wound up with a Japanese horse-slayer for a Dragon Sword, something that you're supposed to put everything into an attack with.

Now if I could only get him to stop making 'Green Arrow' jokes...

That's a little unfair, I guess. I know that's just his way of dealing with tense situations by trying to lighten them. Okay, so he's an idiot; but like I've said, at least he's my idiot. Mine... He promised.

Blood is thicker than water... I was baptized in water as a baby and I saw those bonds break and turn against me when I needed them most...

We've shed blood together - ours and our enemies... that bond I can trust because I know them all enough to know that they'd die for me... but more importantly, they'd kill for me...

Just like I would for them. It may sound... I don't know... to other people, but it works for us. Other People, what Johnnie and Amanda derisively classify as 'humans', would try to attach a bunch of technical psychobabble terms to describe me and him or her and Daniel... they're the ones who assume 'six Rangers, three of each, if there's two couples then there must be three' and claim that Yolanda and Justin are a couple too. Don't take me wrong, they're two of my best friends, but they'd kill each other before the third date. Yolanda is... flighty and cheerful, while Justin is serious. Yo needs someone who can get distracted as easily or into something as deeply as she can and still be optimistic; Justin, whether he admits it or not, has that 'Knight of the Round Table' personality, he wants to be noble and protective... but at the same time, he wants to help people, not do things for them. Yolanda loves being a Ranger because of all the new experiences, Justin gets annoyed by it becoming such a big part of his life. Not that he doesn't want to be a Ranger, he was the first one to vote for helping me and Johnnie what seems like years ago... has it really only been a few months? It feels like years. Time might fly when you're having fun, but it drags out when you're putting your life on the line against people that want you dead and for really stupid reasons.

Marius wants to hurt Daniel and he's decided that killing the rest of us, especially Amanda, is the way to do that. Why? Because someone was more interested in Daniel's friendship then Marius' 'affections.'

Starr, the 'Other Jessica' - when people want to be polite, which bothers me since it's like they're comparing me to her - or 'The Bitch' to me, Johnnie and Amanda because of what she did to him... He wouldn't do what she wanted, so she threw him away; then, when she found herself out of the 'in-crowd' because of it and Johnnie still holding on, she started trying to break up the group that had developed, trying to turn him and Daniel, Amanda and Yolanda against each other. It didn't work, actually it cut any ties that might have been left other than the occasional 'what if.' Why is she doing this? We've reached the decision that it's some kind of queen-bee 'if I can't, no one can' thing, conveniently forgetting she was the one who did the dumping... Bitch.

Jon... yes, he's the one who threatened to kill Johnnie and me that first battle; yes, he's the one who put Yolanda in a coma; yes, he's the one who keeps trying to push Johnnie like he wants him to kill him; he's also the one that I shot in the ass when Johnnie got us to do a group Sailor Scouts inpression, the one who helped Johnnie move even when he wasn't asked to... the one who reminds me of how I felt that summer between... before we moved here to Scenic City... I don't know how I feel about Jon. To tell the truth, I don't think any of us really do... except maybe Daniel. I've seen the way he tenses up from time to time whenever Jon is brought up like he thinks that if Jon became part of the group again he'd be back with Amanda. I've encountered both Johnnie and Amanda's parents, so I know it's not genetic, but if I hadn't I'd think the loyalty to a partner was a family thing... they can't even think of it, which if you ask me was why things happened like they did years ago... beside the point... When Amanda accepted Daniel's proposal, that was it, she meant to marry him and be his wife until the end of time...

Not that you need a proposal or a ring to feel that way. You just need to know... 'Husband and Wife', 'Fiance and Fiancee', 'Boyfriend and Girlfriend', they're just words without the feelings being there... trying to put in words for everyone else what exists between two people when really, it's not any of their business...

You know... I think that if I can catch Johnnie singing, I can repay the 'Green Arrow' jokes with some 'Black Canary' ones of my own...

* * *

Author's Note: While most readers will recognize Qi, also called Chi, as the term for the traditional Chinese concept for one's energy flow or life force - something that can be related to the Literati Rangers' powers and how they work - those more familiar with Mandarin Chinese will know that Qi is also a girl's name meaning 'Fine Jade', jade being a green colored stone, which is a reference to the fact that this chapter is from the point of view of the team's female Green Ranger.


	18. R is for Rain : JT and Jessica

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'R is for Rain'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

J.T. stood on the roof of Highway 2, letting the rain beat down upon him as he talked, "'I can taste it. Estrogen. Definately estrogen. You take the pill, flush it away, it enters the watercycle, feminizes the fish, goes all the way up into the sky, then falls all the way back down onto me. Contraceptives in the rain... Love this planet. Still, at least I won't get pregnant... Never doing that again.'"

From behind him, there was a laugh, "When did you get pregnant the first time?"

Without turning, J.T. shrugged, "Haven't yet, but when you spend years hanging around a pair of slashers with an M-Preg fetish, you become... cautious when it comes to the concept."

Jessica shook her head as she walked up to stand beside him, "Makes me feel a little sorry for Daniel when you put it that way."

"Hm. He knew what he was getting into."

"Johnnie... No male knows what he's getting into. If you boys knew, you wouldn't get into it."

J.T. snorted, "Yes, we would. Whoever dubbed women 'the weaker sex' must've been gay, any straight man knows better... For that matter, any gay man with a female friend knows better. Women, one day they're beating you over the head with reference books and the next they're crying into your arms and making you want to hunt somebody down and beat them to death with their own leg for causing it... Can't do a thing about it. most guys don't even want to. Men and Women. What an interesting combination."

Jessica smiled and leaned against one of the rooftop air-conditioning units, "You know what they say, 'Behind every great man there's a greater woman giving the orders'."

"I always thought it was 'Behind every great woman there's a man ready to kill for her'."

"Same difference."

"I suppose," J.T. shrugged, "You eat yet?"

"Oh... I had a cup of coffee."

"Now there's a nutritious dinner," J.T. said sarcastically.

"How would you know what a nutritious dinner even is?" Jessica shot back.

"Smart ass," he muttered.

"Yes, Johnnie, I know you take a certain enjoyment out of my ass, but that still doesn't answer the question."

"We're gonna file that under 'stupid question', Sweetheart, and forget you ever asked it."

"You know the Bogart accent doesn't work on me, Johnnie."

J.T. shrugged again, "Had to try."

"Aren't you the one who loves quoting that line from 'Star Wars'?"

J.T. paused for a moment, then burst out laughing as raindrops continued to fall on and around him.

Jessica shook her head, ignoring the spray of water from her hair as she did so, "What's so funny?"

"I just had this thought of Yoda replacing Zordon... 'Protect you, the Power may'."

Jessica's mouth twitched, then she joined her partner in a fit of giggles, the falling rain forgotten as they simply enjoyed the good mood they shared.


	19. S is for Scared : Amanda and Jessica

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'S is for Scared'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

Timeframe: Shortly before "The Kruger Syndrome"

* * *

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't we warn them against loitering in our parking lot?"

"Yes, we did."

"And when they continued, didn't we call the police and Mike came out and warned them?"

"Yes, he did..."

"And are they doing it again?"

"Yes... Yes, they are, aren't they?"

With a sigh, J.T. reached over and pulled a golf club from the umbrella stand, "If you'll excuse me, I think it's time to take a Milligan."

"You mean a mulligan."

"No, I mean a Milligan, there's a lot more violence involved. Read 'Casey and Andy'," J.T. answered.

"JUST a moment!" Amanda glared.

"WHAT?"

"Did you remember to have a Catholic Cardinal bless that golf club first?"

"I find that question, Amanda, highly insulting... Of course I didn't, you know my opinions on the Catholic faith."

"You're dating one!"

Jessica raised her head from where she had been reading and ignoring the conversation up to this point, "LAPSED Catholic, thank you!"

"What does that mean, anyway?"

"Baptised but unbowed," J.T. answered on his way out.

"...Try and stay out of trouble, Johnnie," Jessica called, stopping him in the doorway.

"I'll try, Love... but will trouble stay out of me?"

"And that's why you scare people," she said softly to herself as the door shut behind the one she loved, "'_Si non caste tamen caute_'."

"What was that all about?"

"Latin; 'If you can't be good, be careful.'"

"I didn't know you knew any Latin."

"A little. I've been with Johnnie for three years, Amanda. You don't stay with someone that long without picking up some things from them," Jessica answered, ignoring the fact that the first Latin she had learned had been in church.

"Aren't you worried?"

"Terrified, Amanda, I'm absolutely terrified when he does things like this. I always worry this might be the time the guy he's running off has a gun, or a knife, or something else. As different as you and me are, Amanda, we're both afraid of the same thing - we're scared of being abandoned, alone... Every time Johnnie does something that might take him from me if things go wrong, it's all I can do not to break down crying until he comes back."

"I... I never knew."

"No... no, you didn't... It's not something I like to talk about or let show... I just... It was the darkest time of my life, and even though things weren't much better for him he still promised to protect me from anything, anyone that might harm me... I needed that then and it's become as much a part of my life as air since."

The revelation she just heard led Amanda to do something she had never done before as she reached out and put an arm around the other girl's shoulder, "J.T.'s a lot of things - rude, arrogant, foul-mouthed, short-tempered, politically incorrect, a prima donna... But there's one thing he's not... The only way he'd break a promise is if he found out someone was misusing it for their own gain."

"For their own gain? But..."

"Honey, I've known that boy for a little longer than you have, trust me, he loves you more wth his little finger than he thought he did That Bitch at all. If he said he'd stand by you and protect you, believe me, nothing's going to stop him from doing it."

* * *

"So, their fears tear at them... Interesting..."

Malleus Maleficarum folded his hands together as his throne turned so that he could view an image floating in the air before him, "This has... potential..."


	20. T is for Trophy : Zack

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'T is for Trophy'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

"Hm, political bull, beer tasting - got to love the low-brow tastes in this town... Donald Trump bought WWF, that might be interesting. South Carolina beat Arizona in baseball... HM, Robert Landors is getting a divorce."

"J.T... What did you just say?"

"Hollywood, Robert Landors and his wife are getting a divorce."

"Robert Landors is divorcing his wife... or is she divorcing him?"

"He's divorcing her... MISTER Z," J.T. put the emphasis on the mister to get his boss's attention, "I have a feeling... there's something going on here."

Zack raised an eyebrow, "Man, you always have a feeling there's something going on."

"Let me rephrase - I have a feeling something specific is going on related to this piece of news to get such a joy-in-the-suffering-of-others reaction from my normally easy-going and pragmatic boss."

"You really think that, huh?"

"Well it's either that or you've won a lifetime's supply of pudding for getting a hole in one on the eighteenth hole of the mini-golf course."

Zack paused for a moment, then swung himself up onto the counter, "Can I have the pudding?"

J.T. stopped, blinked, then blinked again, "That sounds like something I'd say... now I'm REALLY worried."

"Let's just say we've all had our 'Grand Stupid Times', as you say, and leave it, okay?"

"'Fraid not, you've just thrown a pulp detective fan a bone and I'm gonna gnaw on it until I get some answers," J.T. said before putting on his Bogart voice, "So, uh, I gonna havta engrave an invitation on a forty-five automatic?"

Zack leaned back until he was laying on the counter, "Angela Griggs was a girl I dated for a while back in Angel Grove, she dumped me _after _I left for the Youth Conference by a letter - ironic, really, considering that another of my friends was dumped by letter just as the Conference was ending... that's why I didn't move back to Angel Grove like Trini and Jason did - dumped, most of the old gang had gone seperate ways, so I decided to travel a while... I liked how Scenic City felt, so here's where I finally settled down, you know the rest..."

He took a deep breath, "Angela, on the other hand, moved to Hollywood, became an actress, married Robert Landors, had a son..."

"You're looking at this all wrong, Z - she's famous, yeah... but as a Trophy Wife, a now-divorced Trophy Wife. You? You played a big part in the '95 World Youth Peace Conference, you have your own business, and you, uh, support your local... team... does it really matter that you've never been on A5 of the paper?"

"I don't know, man, some days like today it just don't add up, like any chance for a future's passing me by. I'm twenty-eight, J.T., but some days it seems like I'm twenty-eight thousand..."

"So now you want fortune and fame, is that it?"

"No... but a little recognition would be nice."

"Zack, you're talking to a guy who saves the city and the world from behind a full-helmet, that's beyond preaching to the choir."

"Yeah, but at least at the end of the day you can say you've done something."

"Too bad I'd be talking to myself."

"Only one thing to do."

"Rooftop?"

"Rooftop."

* * *

J.T. turned the key in the lock after hanging up a sign in the window, 'Temporarily Closed - Will reopen after first period.'

Zack pass-kicked the soccer ball to his employee, "Last one up there gets streetside."


	21. U is for Uniform : Mike

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'U is for Uniform'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

Timeframe: Immediately following "S is for Scared"

* * *

'Scenic City... it was named because of the area's beauty, it kept the name because the city went out of its way to be 'scenic', to attract tourists and their money. The problem with attraction is that you also get things you don't want, things like crime. Like any city, it's the blemish they try to hide and the police are the band-aid. One of my best friends I've known since I was a rookie, seven years, he likes to quote things. It was years ago, before everyone else, I remember how we first met... we don't really talk about it... I remember a smart kid with a lot of anger and no focus who was worth the effort nobody took... so I took it. I started teaching him the Water-style martial arts I had learned. He took to it, but it wasn't perfect, he was more forceful than fluid, but he learned...

Kinda makes me proud now...

One time, he made a comment that Kennedy had said 'Only one is there who knows, and he is the one who fights the bull'. Best description of law enforcement I've heard. The problem with band-aids is that they only cover up the problem, they don't get rid of it and it can fester underneath until it can't be covered anymore... Criminals, monster attacks, they're both different sides of the same problem. An attack on society that only a few stand against. For one it's us, for the other it's them. We've worked together more than once. They know. They know better than we do just how close to the edge the city is...'

The radio broke into his thoughts, "Dispatch, 6-Lincoln-12, 415, Man with a golf club, 1224 Pike Highway. 6-Lincoln-12, handle code 2."

"6-Lincoln-12, roger."

He shook his head as he returned his mic to its holder, "And they must be dealing with a problem in their own way... again."

* * *

"You never did know to watch your back, Jack," Officer Mike Coker informed his younger friend as he twisted one of their opponents' arms behind them and began to apply the riot cuffs, "You need to watch it getting in situations over your head, there won't always be someone there to do it for you."

"Believe me, Mike," J.T. Magnus answered, kicking the knife that had been drawn on him when he had told the two men that they needed to leave store property out of reach of the one he was dealing with, "That's something that's on my mind more than you'll ever know."


	22. V is for Villianous : Jon and JT

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'V is for Villianous'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

Timeframe: an unspecified time after 'T is for Trophy' and 'Escalation'.

* * *

"Yo."

J.T. didn't even look up from what he was reading, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Jon took a bite of the candy bar in his hand, "I was bored - thought that if nothing was happening that I'd come start something."

"Listen, Jonathan, if you don't get out I'm going to put you BACK to work stocking shelves."

"What? Burning down the store doesn't say 'I quit'?"

"This is Scenic City," J.T. said, turning a page in his hobby magazine.

Jon paused a moment, "You're right, I forgot to sow the ground with salt and piss on the ashes."

"We love you too, Jonathan," as another page turned.

"How about if I ripped that book right out of your hands and shredded it?"

Another page, "Not even a teammate's life being in danger would save you this time."

Jon thought for a moment, "Not that bored... at least, not yet, anyway."

J.T. looked up and stared at Jon for a moment, then raised an eyebrow, "Nice trenchcoat, Jonathan - going for the Seifer look?"

"Hey, I happen to like this trenchcoat... Besides, you've got what? A dozen overshirts or vests?"

"Hey, combined with the gloves they form my trademark look."

"Yeah, an eighties reject."

"Bishie-wannabe."

"Drop dead."

"You first."

A new, female voice interrupted, "Um... Excuse me, could you tell me where Zack Taylor is?"

J.T. looked up from and the latest in the line of Black Rangers knew instantly who it was - he had seen her picture on page A5 of the newspaper, "In the back. You wait here, we'll go get him. Come on, Spanky."

"What?"

"Come ON, Jonathan," J.T. snarled, in no mood for it, "Mr. Z's gonna need someone to take over for him in the back.

* * *

"Did you hear her?"

"Yeah... Congratulations, John, you're no longer the most arrogant person I know..."

"And that outfit..." J.T. took on an expression of distaste.

"What there was of it?"

"Yeah."

The Dark Ranger recognized the look on his rival's face, "What are you thinking?"

"That if those are real, I'm an iguana."

"They're real, I bet - real wastes of silicon."

"You realize we're agreeing on something beyond madness, mayhem, death and destruction?"

"It had to happen sometime... though I have a feeling there's madness brewing in that insane brain of yours."

"You'd be right," J.T. smirked before putting on his 'Zordon voice', "Rangers, report to the sound system immediately!"

The Black Ranger darted off like a hummingbird on Jolt, followed more sedately by the Dark Ranger who was wondering what he was getting into this time and if there was a chance for him to escape. Probably not - 'J.T. on a Mission' was like a black hole; inescapable and drawing everything near into it's grasp.

Part of him found he actually had missed it.

* * *

Jon looked at J.T. digging through the box of CDs they kept in the back to play over the store's sound system, "Should I ask or just skip to morphing and hoping whatever you're up to can't get through the powersuit?"

"Yes," J.T. answered absentmindedly, pulling out a Lee Ann Womack CD and putting it into the player.

"That wasn't a yes or no question."

"Jiggle the handle."

"Hey, John, there's a giant atomic-powered lizard outside wanting to talk with you - something about copyright infringement."

"Write it a check," came the answer as J.T. flipped through the songs on the disc.

"Well I heard he was gonna marry some girl from Denver," started up on the speakers.

Jon tilted his head to the side, "Trying to make a point?"

J.T. shrugged, "It fits."

* * *

Standing in the parking lot of Highway 2, Black and Dark unmorphed formed a two-man wall between the woman and the store. One had worked there for almost two years, the other still did, and in all that time they had considered the store's owner being able to remain calm in the middle of a storm of insanity to be a constant; so, when Zack had actually shouted for the visitor to get out of his store, his city and his life loud enough to be heard over the drums and guitars of 'I'll Think of a Reason Later' differences were put aside to react to this upheaval to the universal order.

J.T. looked coldly at the woman in front of him, "Zack Taylor's a good man, he's got a good heart. He doesn't hold grudges, he's a better man than that... But that's what he has me for, I am not a 'better man' - I'm a son of a bitch and proud of it, and I know enough of the cops in this town that if you ever set foot here again, I'll know it."

"And if he doesn't," Jon added, "I will. I couldn't do anything last time, but this time... well... You should probably leave, it can get wet and cold here - unhealthy for someone from California."


	23. W is for Work : Clerkin'

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'W is for Work'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

J.T. dropped to the ground next to his register, closing his eyes and tilting his head back, "Ugh..."

"What's with you?"

"Gaming until one, didn't get home until two."

"You were gaming until one."

"So? Some people do it straight through the night."

"You _work_ in a store that carries games! You can stand at a table in the back, play your game and get paid for it being a 'demo' - why do you play games at night?"

"No annoying customers standing over my shoulder asking questions and ignoring the answers."

"...I hate it when you have a point."

Zack gave a chuckle at the antics of his Store Manager and Assistant Manager, then looked up and around from his crossword, "'British Reno', eleven letters."

"Gretna Green."

"That came awfully fast."

"Knowledge is power, mine is considerable."

"Do we want to know _why_ you have this knowledge?"

"Some questions should not be answered... other questions should not be asked."

"So... that's a no?"

"...Savor the mystery, my friend, God knows we don't get near enough of them."

"I hate mysteries."

"I love 'em - As long as there's mysteries, things we don't know, I don't have to worry about being bored... I hate being bored."

"You're an idiot, you know that?"

"In my defense, I do know that - I just choose not to let it have any bearing on my actions."

Zack sighed, "If I could sell the Pelican tapes to Comedy Central, I'd be rich."

J.T. heard this and glared at his boss, "The Pelican's flying? Turn it off, you know I hate voyeurs."

"Yet you'll walk in on Dan-chan and me just so you can change the CD in the closed circuit system?"

J.T. rolled his eyes, "If there is justice in the world, a random bolt of lightning will strike me down..."

"I can arrange that," Amanda muttered, referring to her recently gained abilities with what she had dubbed 'Hollywood Magic'.

"Maybe if you'd ever get all the way to the storage room instead of just the back room, it wouldn't happen, Shuichi."

"We're sure you're just distant cousins, right? Because you two act more like siblings than anyone I've known."

"An error of genetics, believe me."

Zack decided to have a little fun with them, "Believe you? It took getting my store burned down before you told me why you kept cutting out on work - how can I believe you if you'll keep something like that from me?"

"Well..."

"Er..."

"Gotcha!"

A series of notes cut through the lighthearted air in the room, immediately putting all three on a 'work' footing as they glanced down at the silver band around their wrists.

J.T. shook his head, "Boss, may we be excused to save the city?"

Amanda shuddered, "...Never say that again."

"Do I want to know?"

"No!"

"Let me put it this way, Amanda's sugar, Jessica's spice, and Yo's all-things-nice."

"J.T., just because I agree with that last one does not mean I am not going to _kill_ you."

"Please do - reincarnation is my only hope."

Zack groaned, "Get out of here - both of you."


	24. X is for Xenos : Operation Overdrive

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'X is for Xenos'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

"This is confusing. In this game, a strike is good, a ball is bad; but, in another, a ball is not good or bad, but a strike is bad... why?"

Mack shrugged his shoulders at Tyzon's question, "Different games is all I can tell you, Ty."

The former-android still wasn't sure where the idea to celebrate Tyzon and Vella's visit with a round of bowling came from, but judging by the way Will was winning, he would bet it had started with the Black Drive Ranger.

"Don't feel bad, Ty," Rose added, "We've been living here on Earth all of our lives and the linguistic variations are still confusing."

Vella frowned and Tyzon explained, "She is saying that they don't understand their own language."

"If you don't understand your language, how do you speak it?" she asked.

"I don't know," Ronnie laughed, jumping in, "Ask the internet."

"Don't ask the internet," Rose countered, "The greatest scientific invention for communication in the galaxy, proof that humans are equal to any other race out there despite needing the Kovians' help before we could get out of our own system, and what happens? Memes, 'viral' pictures and YouTube take it over..."

"Someone sounds bitter," Dax looked up from a mixture of cheesesticks and a new script he had been offered a part in.

Rose sighed and reached for her soda, "One of my classes recently, I was assigning research about the advances in Earth mechanical engineering and robotics since the first team of Rangers appeared in the Nineties and one of my students made a comment about being able to find anything on the internet..."

"And then?"

"One of the other students... God, I can barely think it... They made a comment about the internet being..."

"Being what?" Vella asked.

Rose actually blushed slightly, "Being for porn."

Dax looked over at Will, "Internet rule seven?"

Will nodded, "Rule seven."

"What is 'Internet Rule Seven'?" Tyzon asked.

"If you can think of it," Ronnie answered, "Then the internet has porn about it. And I know this is true, a friend of mine actually tested it and you do _not _want to know what he found."

Mack slapped his hands over Dax and Will's mouths, "We don't want to know."

"I wish I didn't," Ronnie sighed, "Trust me, it's an image that sticks with you."

"Excuse us..."

The voice that spoke was one of a group of people that had walked up, mostly equipped with GPS devices and digital cameras, several of whom were also carrying stuffed animals.

The speaker continued, "This is going to sound weird and all, but... you're sitting in our hashpoint."

Seven blank stares issued forth.

"Uh... we're from the Internet?" Another tried to explain.

Rose screamed in frustration.

* * *

Author's Note: No offense intended, I myself am a Geohasher - not to be confused with Geocacher - and enjoy it a great deal. I just thought the idea of a group of Rangers being present at a hashpoint was an amusing image worth sharing.


	25. Y is for Yesterday : Tommy and Kim

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

Author's Note; All the chapters of this serving of "Alphabet Soup" were written before the first chapter was ever posted, meaning that certain characters would only be gotten to eventually, including one that I've recieved reviews and requests for. Now in this, the penultimate chapter of "Alphabet Soup" for now, I present to you... Tommy and Kim.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'Y is for Yesterday'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

It's that 'Picture' song again. I hate this song. Why? Because every time it plays, people who know start giving me looks that say 'take the hint, Tommy'. I don't need any hints, what I need is for Jason and Trini, Adam, Haley, even the Dino Rangers to take their own hint and stop pushing it. Even when David was dying, my brother was concerned that I needed to make peace with my past...

I don't need to make peace with my past because it's just that, my past. My taking the Dinogems with me when I left Angel Grove was a favor to Zordon, my becoming the Black Ranger was the Black Dinogem's choice, not mine. It was bad enough when Trent and Kira began dating, but now every time I talk to any of my old so-called friends they make it a point to compare Trent and Kira to me and her and ask when I'm going to talk to her.

Not 'if', 'when', like it's a foregone conclusion that I want my ex-girlfriend - who is the one who dumped me, by the way - back in my life again. I've heard it all, 'taking it too personally', 'forgive those who wrong you', 'give second chances', 'she's hurting too'...

Where were they when it first happened? Bundling me off to a ski resort and into a relationship with Kat. The truth now is that I can't trust them to act in my best interests and not out of some feeling of assumed guilt...

'Assumed'. I'm a paleotologist, not an English Major, but I know it's a word with two meanings, 'believed to be' and 'taken on'. They believe they should feel guilty, but the only one who should take on any guilt is the one person I would have died for once, that now I'd rather die than see her two-faced... face... both of them...

I will not live in the past...

* * *

'Picture' is playing again. I get so depressed every time I hear this song... I'm the one who wrote the letter in the first place. I admit, it probably wasn't the best idea, but I was scared that he'd hate me for tying him down without being there. I didn't want to come back to Angel Grove and have him hate me because I kept him from moving on.

Instead he hates me for an entirely different reason. The same reason that I hate myself. I could have said something on Murathis, I could have picked up the phone and called him any number of times, Trini keeps making sure I have his number...

But I can't.

I can fight evil space aliens, walking clay men, Tengu warriors; be kidnapped not once or twice, but three times, turned evil on one of them...

But I can't admit to the man I still... care about... that I destroyed our relationship because I decided to play one of those 'if you really love me' games with him. 'If you really love me, you'll come after me or be there waiting when I come back.'

But he didn't and he wasn't and it's all my fault for starting it.


	26. Z is for Zords : Spiritzords

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'Z is for Zords'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

Timeframe: during "Spirited Beginnings"

* * *

"Little Ones gone, Little Ones gone," Phoenix trilled sadly, the avian on her perch taking in the traces of green that were beginning to spread across formerly bare metal.

"They be back soon," one of the largest rumbled as he watched his own metal form darken.

Another form made an ominous clacking sound with it's claws, "You're so sure because he's one of yours anyway."

"Silence," One of a trio of nearly identical forms commanded, traces of crimson etching their way across its body, "Without him leading the others, we would be sleeping still."

One of the others shook its head, armor plates lightening in color as it did so, "We should be sleeping still. We're not needed. There's others."

A second large form struck the wall of its berth with an even larger fist, "Not our place to make such judgements. The Creator said when the Power recognizes them so will we. The Power chose them, they are the ones, so we will be needed... soon if not now."

The last of the triplets and quietest of them all spoke, "Don't trust."

The second triplet, now a pale golden color, turned to its faintly rose sibling, "Don't trust... who?"

"Don't trust," the pink-turning form repeated, "Darkness within."

"If one of them was truely evil, the Power would have refused them," the clawed form countered.

"Not evil," Siren said before repeating, "Don't trust, Darkness within..."

Dragon snarled, "Make my head hurt. Don't like it."

Scorpio was the first to feel the pulse of Grid Energy flow through him, "It's time, I've been called for."

* * *

The six remaining Spiritzords all felt an uncontrolled pulse of Grid Energy, a need for them not put into words, and responded. Phoenix and Dragon fitted themselves into launch cradles and felt the magnetic forces build up to accelerate them into the air. Far above, twenty feet of ground and growth rose into the air on a hydrolic platform as a metal ramp extended up out of the hole beneath it. First Phoenix's cradle sped faster and faster up the launch ramp before slamming to a halt, launching its cargo through the forest canopy and into the night sky above. As the ground fell away and Phoenix spread her wings, she was joined by Dragon in flight. Siren was lowered into a tunnel that rapidly filled with water, connected to the Orenda River despite its distance, and locked into her own launch cradle that sped through the water before releasing her into the river itself. Bracing herself against the riverbed, Siren shot through the water and into the air. Three more launch tunnels delivered Demon, Knight and Witch to the surface where they began running towards the source of the pulse.

Five Spiritzords were frozen in shock at the site of their Rangers locked in combat, battling Scorpio with their Power Weapons. Five Spiritzords stood there stunned as the sixth caught his Ranger who had been thrown through the air before he could hit anything. As the sixth raised his Ranger to the chamber for his use, four Spiritzords reached down to do the same for their own Rangers, Dragon doing so for both his own and Phoenix's, the green Spiritzord perched on his shoulder. As six Rangers confirmed their place in control of the mighty living machines, six Spiritzords looked at the last of their number and sadly knew that Siren had been right.

Darkness had been within, and now it was released.

* * *

Author's Note: A to Z, from "Air" to "Zords", that's that. I'd like to thank my readers and especially those of you who not only read but took the time to review. I'll admit I've got plans for another set of twenty-six word-based drabbles to continue "Alphabet Soup", but for now...


	27. A is for Application : Justin S

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. Whether or not that goal can be reached, we'll see... This is The 365 Project, 22 January...

Disclaimer: While I don't own the overall concept of Power Rangers, Zords, and all else that goes with it, I, along with the friends that are involved with the story, do own Power Rangers Literati itself and its components.

* * *

Power Rangers Literati  
"Alphabet Soup"  
'A is for Application'  
By J.T. Magnus, "Turbo"

* * *

Justin Stewart had come to a realisation; he needed a job. He had just finished his first year at Appalachian State College and it had been boring, except for joining a local gaming group, there'd been nothing to do in his spare time and it was not something he could put up with for another three years. It didn't help that the gaming group hadn't even been meeting lately since one of their member wasn't well and the other, their girlfriend, was taking care of him.

Justin shook his head, 'It must be nice to have someone care for you that much to put their life on hold for you.'

His relationship with his father had gotten better over the last few years, but that didn't erase the memories of the time when he was never there. It was hard not to laugh to himself when Justin thought of that time, despite all that came with it, as the best time of his life, because it was then that his life actually felt like he was living, like there was a meaning to being alive... because it was then that he was a Power Ranger. But that was the past, like his surrogate parents from that time, he had moved on to do something else with his life.

Except the Power called. It called every time he heard of another monster attack in another city, it ached like an addiction denied and he had to get away... So he ran, he used his education as an excuse to run across the continent with his father's blessing.

'Except it followed me,' Justin thought as he reached out and put his hand on the side of the building he was outside of and sighed before adding, "Or did I follow it?"

It didn't matter either way, Justin decided after a moment, what mattered was that he needed to get out of the dorm and do stuff when he wasn't in class and for that he needed money to pay for it, so he needed a job. He needed a job and since 'saving the world by fighting evil space aliens while in a morphologically-altered state' wasn't really a marketable skill, that left working on engines for him to fall back on. Fortunately for him, a local motorcycle shop had advertised for a part-time worker, so he hadn't had to wait long.

Hopefully, it would be enough to distract him when the Power called.

Taking a deep breath, Justin lifted his hand off the wall and pushed open the door next to him. Inside, he stopped and took a look around at what seemed to be the shop's business office, a man he guessed to be about his father's age sitting behind the desk working on a computer.

"I'm here about the part-time job?" Justin asked carefully.

The man turned from the computer to face him, running a hand through messy brown hair, "You're sure about that?"

Justin blinked, not sure what they meant by that remark, "Uh, yeah?"

The man shrugged and pressed an intercom button, "Zee, got someone here asking about the job."

Releasing the intercom button, he raised a hand in the air and began ticking off seconds, "One, two... "

Before the number three, being the third number, could be reached, the door between the office and the work area opened and a redheaded woman in jeans and a tank top bustled into the office with a pile of wires in one hand and a pair of pliers in the other.

"Where they at, Blaine?" She asked sharply.

The man, Blaine it seemed, suppressed a grin and pointed at Justin, causing the woman to turn and give him a quick look-over before nodding to herself.

"You know how to run electrical?"

Justin blinked, "Yeah, but-"

She cut him off as she dumped the pile of wires into his hands, "Ace, you're hired! Give it a burl and we'll talk money later."

Before Justin could respond, she was back through the door, muttering about someone picking a hell of a time to go crook, leaving him standing there with a pile of wires in his hands, wondering what had just happened.

Blaine chuckled, "Don't worry about it, Carol's like that with everyone. I only know one person who can actually keep up with her when she gets herself worked up like that and unfortunately for our daughter, it's her boyfriend."

Justin groaned with realisation, "They work at Highway 2, don't they?"

Blaine looked at him with suspicion, "How did you know?"

"I game with them sometimes," Justin answered, shaking his head, "They've mentioned this place, I can't believe I didn't make the connection beforehand..."

Then the intercom crackled, "Blaine, tell the new jack to get his arse in here and get working!"

Blaine shook his head and gestured towards the work area door, "You heard the boss."


End file.
